Remove standard storage option from Fedora EC2 images
Summary
AWS offers multiple types of block storage depending on the needs of the individual user. Fedora images are uploaded with standard and gp2 currently (gp3 will replace gp2 very soon with another approved change).
The standard storage is a previous generation storage option with less performance and less consistent performance than the other storage types. It also causes some confusion when AWS customers look through the list of Fedora cloud images in the EC2 console because now they see four images (aarch64 + x86_64, both with standard and gp2 storage).
Removing the standard storage option would reduce the amount of images that appear in the console, but AWS customers could still provision Fedora on standard storage during the instance creation process if they really want that storage option.
Owner
- Name: Major Hayden
- Email: major@redhat.com
Current status
- Targeted release: Fedora Linux 39
- Last updated: 2023-05-03
- devel thread
- FESCo issue: #2985
- Tracker bug: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>
- Release notes tracker: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>
Detailed Description
The scripts that upload images to AWS will be adjusted so that they do not include the creation of an AMI with standard storage. AWS customers could still choose that option at instance creation time if needed.
Feedback
No alternatives have been proposed yet.
Benefit to Fedora
This would reduce the amount of Fedora AMIs that appear in the EC2 console by half and it would ensure that Fedora lands on AWS' best performing storage (soon to be gp3) by default. It avoids a situation where an AWS customer (without a strong knowledge in block storage types) starts a Fedora instance on standard storage and gets a low performance experience.
It would have no effect on running instances or existing AMIs.
Scope
- Proposal owners: This is an isolated change that should be made within
fedimgand it affects only the AMI creation process.
- Other developers: Should not require work from other developers.
- Release engineering: No work should be required from releng for this change.
- Policies and guidelines: N/A (not needed for this Change)
- Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)
- Alignment with Community Initiatives: Should make it easier to display Fedora AWS images on the Fedora Cloud page.
Upgrade/compatibility impact
Existing systems will not be affected by this change. Customers launching new instances will get better performing storage by default but will still have the option to select standard storage if they really need it.
How To Test
1. The updated version of fedimg should create only gp2 (soon to be gp3) AMIs.
2. We can verify that the latest image upload from rawhide (after the fedimg change is made) will only include a gp2/gp3-backed image.
User Experience
AWS customers who are not familiar with different block storage types should always land on high performance storage. They still have the option to choose other storage types at instance creation time.
Dependencies
Only fedimg needs to be updated. There are no other dependencies.
Contingency Plan
- Contingency mechanism: N/A (not a System Wide Change)
- Contingency deadline: N/A (not a System Wide Change)
- Blocks release? N/A (not a System Wide Change)
Documentation
N/A (not a System Wide Change)
Release Notes
Fedora AMIs for EC2 now default to the latest gp2/3 storage option.